At a tribune entitled âEuropean Perspectives through the prism of a Macedonian â Greek conflictâ influential Macedonian intellectuals from different NGOâs talked about the past, the future and the EU.

The main points conveyed during the debate is for Macedonian politicians to avoid falling into a trap set up by the European Union and Greece in which the Macedonians themselves will lead the way in changing their own name and identity.

All involved in the debate concluded that the current âtalksâ with our southern neighbor have long been derailed and are outside the legal UN Framework.

- Visa vi the name âNorth Macedoniaâ does this mean the Faculty for Linguistic at Ss Cyril and Methodius University will become the âFaculty for North Macedonian language? What is happening now is a form of neocolonialism where we are being forced to cooperate in the destruction of our past and futureâ says Elizabeta Shakleva from the Faculty of Lingustics.

Professor Blagoja Samakovski says the European Union has put Macedonia as a ânegotiating sideâ in this manufactured dispute so it can hide from the responsibilities of their own making and choosing.

- Through out history, the big powers have changed borders, names of countries without any consulting or agreement. They need us for what exactly? The EU can change our name without consulting us. EUâs political nomenclature is not interested in politics or names, only in their 30.000+ euros monthly salary. Javier Solana can not be an individual responsible for moral values. Our tiredness from this âdisputeâ does not mean we need to give up and lose our thousands of years of history. This is about our children â says professor Samakovski.

- We need to ask ourselves, when did Greece entered into ânegotiationsâ. We also need to remind ourselves that our UN reference, according to the UN framework is valid only for internal UN use, not outside it â added Professor Ljubomir Cuculovski.

Jovan Donev of the Euro Balkan Institute and professor Gordana Siljanovska added Macedonian politicians need to be very careful as Athens fascist policies have not changed ever since occupying Aegean Macedonia in 1913.

The main questions Macedonian politicians need to ask is whether Macedonia is aligning itself strategically with the right âUnionâ. Is entering a Union that doesnât recognize us as people viable, or perhaps looking at a âUnionâ with the more traditional allies â¦ Turkey, US, Chinaâ¦